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EspañolJ DILLA
(Redirected from Jay Dee)
'James Dewitt Yancey' (February 7 1974–February 10 2006), better known as 'J Dilla' or 'Jay Dee', was an American hip hop producer and MC, who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. He began his career as "Jay Dee" but used the name "J Dilla" from 2001 on. Many critics believe J Dilla's work to have had a major influence on his peers,[1] and that he embodied the neo soul sound, playing a defining yet understated role during the sub-genre's rise (roughly from the mid-90s to the early 2000s). J Dilla was known as a "producer's producer", and was highly regarded by mainstream artists and producers such as Common, Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams [2].
Jay Dee was the second eldest of four children, including an older brother, a younger brother (Johnny, otherwise known as Illa J), and a younger sister. The family lived in a house situated near McDougall and East Nevada, in Detroit.[3] He developed a vast musical knowledge from his parents (his mother, Maureen, is a former opera singer). At a young age, he began acquiring a large collection of records which inspired him to learn multiple instruments. By high school, he had developed a passion for MCing, and formed a rap group called Slum Village with schoolmates T3 (R.L. Altman), and Baatin (Titus Glover). He had also taken up beatmaking, using a simple tapedeck as the center of his studio.[4]
In 1992, he met experienced Detroit musician Amp Fiddler, who was impressed by what Jay Dee was able to accomplish with such limited tools. Amp Fiddler let Jay Dee use his MPC, which he learned quite quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label (Pay Day) - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded ''The Album That Time Forgot'' with 5 Elementz (a group consisting of the late Proof and Mudd).
By the late 1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip-hop prospect, with a string of singles and remix projects, for Janet Jackson, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album and others. Some other Jay Dee productions were released without his name recognition, being credited to The Ummah, A Tribe Called Quest's production team, of which he was a member.
2000 marked the major label debut of Slum Village with ''Fantastic, Vol. 2'', creating a new following for Jay Dee as a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as The Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, D'Angelo and James Poyser amongst others) which earned him more recognition and buzz. He subsequently worked with Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and Common - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, ''Like Water for Chocolate''.
His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "Fuck the Police", followed by the album ''Welcome 2 Detroit'', which kicked off U.K. Independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. In 2001, Jay Dee, began using the name "J Dilla" (an attempt to differentiate himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D."), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA.
2002 saw Dilla producing the entirety of Frank-N-Dank's ''48 Hours'', as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former did eventually surface through bootlegging.[5]When Dilla finished working with Frank-N-Dank on the ''48 Hours'' album, MCA Records requested a record with a larger commercial appeal, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither versions of the album saw the light of day, and the latter has only been heard as a bootleg. Dilla expressed he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans.
Dilla was signed to a solo deal with MCA Records in 2002 and completed an album in 2003.[5][7] Although Dilla was known as a producer rather than an MC, he chose to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite producers[8] such as Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed and others. The album was shelved due to internal changes at the label and MCA folding into Geffen Records.[7] In a 2007 video interview, Dilla's friend DJ House Shoes alluded to the possibility of the MCA album finally seeing an official release through Stones Throw Records in the future.[10]
While the record with MCA stalled, Dilla recorded the uncompromising ''Ruff Draft'', released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack.[7] Although the album was little known, it signaled a change in sound and attitude, and his work from this point on was increasingly released through independent record labels. In a 2003 interview with Groove Attack, Dilla talked about this change of direction:
LA-based Producer and MC, Madlib, began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album called ''Champion Sound'' in 2003. J Dilla relocated from Detroit to LA in 2004 and appeared on tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004.
Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, fueled in part by the unauthorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet file sharing.
Articles in publications ''Urb'' (March 2004) and ''XXL'' (June 2005) confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were downplayed by Jay himself. The seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from TTP, a rare blood disease, and possibly Lupus.[12]
J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, at his home in Los Angeles, California. His obituary in ''The New York Times'' on February 14, 2006, states: "The cause was cardiac arrest, according to his mother, Maureen Yancey." His last album, ''Donuts'' was released 3 days earlier, on February 7, 2006.
Aside from ''Donuts'', Dilla completed or nearly completed two more full length releases, during his illness. The first, ''The Shining'', was released on August 8, 2006 by BBE Records. Final production of the album was handled posthumously by Karriem Riggins, whom Dilla had asked to help with the album. According to Riggins, ''The Shining'' was "75% completed when Dilla died."[13]
In May 2006, J Dilla's mother announced the creation of ''The J Dilla Foundation''. In February 2007, a year after his death, J Dilla posthumously received the Plug Award's Artist of the Year as well as the award for Record Producer of the Year.[14][15]
Stones Throw reissued Dilla's rarely heard ''Ruff Draft'' as a 2/CD, 2/LP set in March 2007. The reissue contains previously unreleased material from the ''Ruff Draft'' sessions and instrumentals.
The second, ''Jay Love Japan'', was announced during Dilla's lifetime as an instrumental EP. It was announced an imminent release in at different times in 2005, then in 2006 and 2007 with a track list containing several songs with vocals added after his death.
J Dilla's and Madlib's collaboration album ''Champion Sound'' was re-released in June 2007 by Stones Throw Records as a 2CD Deluxe Edition with instrumentals and b-sides.
Main articles: James Yancey Discography
★ 2001 ''Welcome 2 Detroit'' (BBE)
★ 2003 ''Ruff Draft EP'' (Mummy/Groove Attack) (2007 2CD/LP reissue: Stones Throw)
★ 2006 ''Donuts'' (Stones Throw)
★ 2006 ''The Shining'' (BBE)
J Dilla was a member of Slum Village for both of their ''Fantastic'' albums. J-88 is an alternate name for Slum Village.
★ 1997 Slum Village - ''Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1)'' (Donut Boy Recordings) (2006 re-release: Counterflow)
★ 2000 Slum Village - ''Fantastic, Vol. 2'' (Goodvibe)
★ 2000 J-88 - ''Best Kept Secret EP'' (Groove Attack)
★ 2003 Jaylib - ''Champion Sound'' (Stones Throw)
★ 2002 '' (Bling47.com)
★ 2003 '' (Bling47.com)
★ 2007 '' (Delicious Vinyl Records)
'Official Sites'
★ J Dilla's MySpace Profile
★ J Dilla at Stones Throw Records
★ Jay Dee/J Dilla at BBE Music
★ J Dilla at Worlds Fair
'Articles'
★ "Jay Dee's last days" — ''Detroit Free Press'', 23 February 2006
★ Real Detroit Weekly Feature on Jay Dee
★ Jay Dee Feature on TheRootsLive.com
★ Friends and peers remember J Dilla
'Interviews'
★ 2004 thickonline.com interview
★ James Yancey's last interview
1. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5205096
2. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3fdjvwpta9ik~T1
3. http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=9544
4. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jvd7yl58xp9b~T1
5. http://www.grooveattack.de/distribution/artist_add.php3?artistid=85&interpret=Jay+Dee&title=Jay+Dee+Interview&label=
6. http://www.grooveattack.de/distribution/artist_add.php3?artistid=85&interpret=Jay+Dee&title=Jay+Dee+Interview&label=
7. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
8. J Dilla "Ruff Draft" (2007), liner notes
9. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
10. http://youtube.com/watch?v=47olSdWCo0k
11. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
12. Detroit Free Press February 23, 2006
13. Detroit Free Press, June 29, 2006
14. http://youtube.com/watch?v=fr4iQ1kRoO0
15. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003544577
'James Dewitt Yancey' (February 7 1974–February 10 2006), better known as 'J Dilla' or 'Jay Dee', was an American hip hop producer and MC, who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. He began his career as "Jay Dee" but used the name "J Dilla" from 2001 on. Many critics believe J Dilla's work to have had a major influence on his peers,[1] and that he embodied the neo soul sound, playing a defining yet understated role during the sub-genre's rise (roughly from the mid-90s to the early 2000s). J Dilla was known as a "producer's producer", and was highly regarded by mainstream artists and producers such as Common, Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams [2].
Biography
Early life
Jay Dee was the second eldest of four children, including an older brother, a younger brother (Johnny, otherwise known as Illa J), and a younger sister. The family lived in a house situated near McDougall and East Nevada, in Detroit.[3] He developed a vast musical knowledge from his parents (his mother, Maureen, is a former opera singer). At a young age, he began acquiring a large collection of records which inspired him to learn multiple instruments. By high school, he had developed a passion for MCing, and formed a rap group called Slum Village with schoolmates T3 (R.L. Altman), and Baatin (Titus Glover). He had also taken up beatmaking, using a simple tapedeck as the center of his studio.[4]
Early productions
In 1992, he met experienced Detroit musician Amp Fiddler, who was impressed by what Jay Dee was able to accomplish with such limited tools. Amp Fiddler let Jay Dee use his MPC, which he learned quite quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label (Pay Day) - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded ''The Album That Time Forgot'' with 5 Elementz (a group consisting of the late Proof and Mudd).
By the late 1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip-hop prospect, with a string of singles and remix projects, for Janet Jackson, Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album and others. Some other Jay Dee productions were released without his name recognition, being credited to The Ummah, A Tribe Called Quest's production team, of which he was a member.
Performing career
2000 marked the major label debut of Slum Village with ''Fantastic, Vol. 2'', creating a new following for Jay Dee as a producer and an MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as The Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, D'Angelo and James Poyser amongst others) which earned him more recognition and buzz. He subsequently worked with Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and Common - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, ''Like Water for Chocolate''.
His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "Fuck the Police", followed by the album ''Welcome 2 Detroit'', which kicked off U.K. Independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. In 2001, Jay Dee, began using the name "J Dilla" (an attempt to differentiate himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "J.D."), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA.
2002 saw Dilla producing the entirety of Frank-N-Dank's ''48 Hours'', as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former did eventually surface through bootlegging.[5]When Dilla finished working with Frank-N-Dank on the ''48 Hours'' album, MCA Records requested a record with a larger commercial appeal, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither versions of the album saw the light of day, and the latter has only been heard as a bootleg. Dilla expressed he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans.
Dilla was signed to a solo deal with MCA Records in 2002 and completed an album in 2003.[5][7] Although Dilla was known as a producer rather than an MC, he chose to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite producers[8] such as Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed and others. The album was shelved due to internal changes at the label and MCA folding into Geffen Records.[7] In a 2007 video interview, Dilla's friend DJ House Shoes alluded to the possibility of the MCA album finally seeing an official release through Stones Throw Records in the future.[10]
While the record with MCA stalled, Dilla recorded the uncompromising ''Ruff Draft'', released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack.[7] Although the album was little known, it signaled a change in sound and attitude, and his work from this point on was increasingly released through independent record labels. In a 2003 interview with Groove Attack, Dilla talked about this change of direction:
Later years and illness
LA-based Producer and MC, Madlib, began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album called ''Champion Sound'' in 2003. J Dilla relocated from Detroit to LA in 2004 and appeared on tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004.
Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, fueled in part by the unauthorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet file sharing.
Articles in publications ''Urb'' (March 2004) and ''XXL'' (June 2005) confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were downplayed by Jay himself. The seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from TTP, a rare blood disease, and possibly Lupus.[12]
J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, at his home in Los Angeles, California. His obituary in ''The New York Times'' on February 14, 2006, states: "The cause was cardiac arrest, according to his mother, Maureen Yancey." His last album, ''Donuts'' was released 3 days earlier, on February 7, 2006.
Posthumous work
Aside from ''Donuts'', Dilla completed or nearly completed two more full length releases, during his illness. The first, ''The Shining'', was released on August 8, 2006 by BBE Records. Final production of the album was handled posthumously by Karriem Riggins, whom Dilla had asked to help with the album. According to Riggins, ''The Shining'' was "75% completed when Dilla died."[13]
In May 2006, J Dilla's mother announced the creation of ''The J Dilla Foundation''. In February 2007, a year after his death, J Dilla posthumously received the Plug Award's Artist of the Year as well as the award for Record Producer of the Year.[14][15]
Stones Throw reissued Dilla's rarely heard ''Ruff Draft'' as a 2/CD, 2/LP set in March 2007. The reissue contains previously unreleased material from the ''Ruff Draft'' sessions and instrumentals.
The second, ''Jay Love Japan'', was announced during Dilla's lifetime as an instrumental EP. It was announced an imminent release in at different times in 2005, then in 2006 and 2007 with a track list containing several songs with vocals added after his death.
J Dilla's and Madlib's collaboration album ''Champion Sound'' was re-released in June 2007 by Stones Throw Records as a 2CD Deluxe Edition with instrumentals and b-sides.
Discography
Main articles: James Yancey Discography
Solo Albums
★ 2001 ''Welcome 2 Detroit'' (BBE)
★ 2003 ''Ruff Draft EP'' (Mummy/Groove Attack) (2007 2CD/LP reissue: Stones Throw)
★ 2006 ''Donuts'' (Stones Throw)
★ 2006 ''The Shining'' (BBE)
Collaborative Albums
J Dilla was a member of Slum Village for both of their ''Fantastic'' albums. J-88 is an alternate name for Slum Village.
★ 1997 Slum Village - ''Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1)'' (Donut Boy Recordings) (2006 re-release: Counterflow)
★ 2000 Slum Village - ''Fantastic, Vol. 2'' (Goodvibe)
★ 2000 J-88 - ''Best Kept Secret EP'' (Groove Attack)
★ 2003 Jaylib - ''Champion Sound'' (Stones Throw)
Instrumental Albums
★ 2002 '' (Bling47.com)
★ 2003 '' (Bling47.com)
Compilation Albums
★ 2007 '' (Delicious Vinyl Records)
External links
'Official Sites'
★ J Dilla's MySpace Profile
★ J Dilla at Stones Throw Records
★ Jay Dee/J Dilla at BBE Music
★ J Dilla at Worlds Fair
'Articles'
★ "Jay Dee's last days" — ''Detroit Free Press'', 23 February 2006
★ Real Detroit Weekly Feature on Jay Dee
★ Jay Dee Feature on TheRootsLive.com
★ Friends and peers remember J Dilla
'Interviews'
★ 2004 thickonline.com interview
★ James Yancey's last interview
References
1. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5205096
2. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:3fdjvwpta9ik~T1
3. http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=9544
4. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jvd7yl58xp9b~T1
5. http://www.grooveattack.de/distribution/artist_add.php3?artistid=85&interpret=Jay+Dee&title=Jay+Dee+Interview&label=
6. http://www.grooveattack.de/distribution/artist_add.php3?artistid=85&interpret=Jay+Dee&title=Jay+Dee+Interview&label=
7. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
8. J Dilla "Ruff Draft" (2007), liner notes
9. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
10. http://youtube.com/watch?v=47olSdWCo0k
11. Liner notes by Ronnie Reese, "Ruff Draft" (2007)
12. Detroit Free Press February 23, 2006
13. Detroit Free Press, June 29, 2006
14. http://youtube.com/watch?v=fr4iQ1kRoO0
15. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003544577
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